The Two Keys
by Asher Eve
Summary: Four friends stumble upon a key, which transports them to a different time and place...sorry, I suck at reviews! R/R please!!
1. The first key

Disclaimer: It's all J.R.R.'s  
  
A/N: This is my first actual story on here. Thanks for checking it out!! If you don't like it, then you don't have to read it. :o)  
***  
  
Jackie Merriman walked down the street with her friends. It was a hot and sticky August evening, and they were at their town's street fair. At 7 PM, and the sun was sinking low in the sky. Jackie was looking at a booth selling gyros when she was distracted.  
  
"Hey look!" said Jenny, her friend, suddenly. "What the heck is that?" asked Andrea, her other friend, squinting at the thing that Jenny was holding in her hand. It was a small key, no bigger than Jackie's pinkie finger. However, the odd thing about it was the design. Intricately carved all over the sides was some form of writing, a beautiful yet totally unrecognizable script.  
  
"Well that's weird," Jenny said. "That man dropped it. Hey, you!" she called to a man in the crowd a few feet ahead, clothed in dark robes of some sort. He stuck out plainly in the noisy, tank top clad street fair crowd, but yet no one seemed to pay any attention to him. When Jenny called to him, he turned around and winked before vanishing into the crowd.  
  
"That's odd," said Jackie. "What was that all about?"  
  
"Well I'm not sitting around here, I'm going to find out where he came from!" Andrea exclaimed, and raced off after him. Jackie gave Jenny a panicked look. This was a strange man, and would it really be wise to follow him? Jenny gave Jackie a look and shrugged, taking off after Andrea. Jackie reluctantly followed.  
  
It was not an easy task following Andrea through the crowd. Jackie wasn't even sure Andrea knew where she was going. She hurried close behind Jenny, following Andrea's blonde hair as it bobbed up and down, darting between people.  
  
They came to a clearing just outside the street fair, where they saw Andrea, bent over with her hands on her knees, panting.  
  
"Well where did he go?" Jackie demanded.  
  
"He went in there!" Andrea said, pointing to a broad rock 5 feet away.  
  
"What?!" exclaimed Jenny. "Andrea you've gone nuts. That's a rock."  
  
"No I swear!" Andrea said defensively. "I saw him! He just sort of.melted into it!"  
  
"Melted?" Jackie said disbelievingly.  
  
"Yes I swear!" Andrea said, pleadingly. "It was the strangest thing I've ever seen!"  
  
"She's right," a voice said from behind them. Jackie whirled around, and groaned at the figure she saw there.  
  
"Damnit Alex, where did you come from?"  
  
"Hello to you too, sweetie," said the tall blond boy who stepped out from behind her. "Stalking is illegal in all 50 states," Jackie said coolly. Alex grinned goofily at her.  
  
"All right dumbass, how long were you back there?" Jenny demanded.  
  
"Long enough to know that Andrea's story is true," he said. "And to know that something's up, and I want to know what."  
  
"Alex, what are you talking about?" Jackie asked.  
  
"Well you guys aren't following that guy for no reason!"  
  
"Wait! The key!" Jenny exclaimed, remembering why they had indeed followed him. She went over to where Andi was examining the rock.  
  
"There's a keyhole here!" Andi cried. She grabbed the key from Jenny's hand, thrust it into the lock, and turned it. "Oh!!"  
  
Jackie gasped as the rock broke into two pieces, revealing a large hole about 3 feet high. She looked at her friends and Alex, who were all staring at it in utter amazement. She gulped. It was dark and foreboding, but curiosity was slowly winning her over.  
  
"Well, who's going to go first?" Jenny asked.  
  
"WHAT?!" Andi exclaimed. "That's crazy! We don't know what's down there! We could be killed!"  
  
Jackie stepped up. "We found that key for a reason. If that guy really melted into the rock that was here, then there's something weird going on. And I'm finding out what it is." She walked over, knelt down, and peered into the hole. It was black, with no sign of light. She stood up. "Who's coming with me?" she asked boldly.  
  
Jenny stepped forward. Still, Andrea held back. "What if there's someone waiting for us? I don't like this at all."  
  
"Well I'm going." Jackie stooped and lowered herself on hands and knees to get into the hole. She turned back and saw Jenny at her heels. Andi still stood in her original spot, biting on her thumbnail with a worried expression on her face. Jackie turned and crept into it. "It looks like a tunnel!" She shouted back. "Come on Jenny. Bye Andi!" She smiled and Andrea threw up her arms and crawled into the hole after Jenny. "If this turns out bad, I'll make sure you regret it," she said threateningly. Jackie smiled. Then she saw Alex, who had been keeping quiet, follow them into the hole.  
  
"Hey!" Jenny said, "You can't come! We don't want you to!"  
  
"Well I'm coming! I'm not letting Jackie get hurt!! I'm not about to- OWWW!!" He stumbled and a rock slid back from under his foot. Slowly the door began to slide back to its original position, covering the opening. There was a mad scramble for the opening, which only succeeded in everyone getting tangled up. The hole closed up, and the four found themselves in total darkness.  
  
"Oh good job, Alex, just great!" Jackie said, rubbing her head where she had hit it on the rock ground. "Now we're locked in!"  
  
"We're gonna die!" Andi moaned.  
  
"Alex, get your foot out of my face!" Jenny said exasperation.  
  
"Is that-"  
  
"I can't move-"  
  
"It's so dark!!"  
  
"Oh how are we going to get out??"  
  
"Whose arm is that?"  
  
"Stop stepping on my fingers!"  
  
It was nearly 5 minutes before they got everything sorted out. They sat in silence for a while after that.  
  
"Well I guess the only thing to do is to keep on moving," Jackie said, after Alex and Andrea repeatedly pounded on the rock. "Everyone follow me."  
  
*** 


	2. Where are we?

***  
  
They crawled in the dark for half an hour, with Alex complaining the whole way. Jenny and Jackie repeatedly told him to shut up. Andrea remained almost totally silent.  
  
"Hey look, I see light ahead!" said Jackie, in the vanguard. And indeed, there was a light ahead. They crawled hurriedly, and found an opening about as large as the one they had entered through. Jackie crawled through it first, and blinked to adjust her eyes to the light.  
  
She saw a stunning site. In front of her, was what seemed to be a gorgeous wall, decorated with intricate leaves and flowers, all in gold. The backdrop was that of a beautiful forest with green and silver trees as far as the eye could see. It took her a minute to realize the wall in front of her was part of a huge building.  
  
'Where am I?' she wondered. She heard the other three crawl out and gasp sighs of amazement.  
  
"Wow," said Andi, walking around.  
  
"Where is this place?" asked Alex.  
  
"Or rather, what is this place," corrected Jenny.  
  
"I've never seen a place like this in Pataskala," said Jackie doubtfully.  
  
"Yeah I always thought it was a crap little town, compared to Delaware at least," said Alex smugly.  
  
"Pataskala is better than Delaware," Andrea snapped.  
  
"Is not!"  
  
"Is too!"  
  
Jackie sighed. "Guys this is not the time to-"  
  
"IS NOT!"  
  
"IS TOO!"  
  
"IS NO- whoa!!!" Alex cut off, startled. In front of him stood a man, with long blonde hair, wearing green and brown clothing that looked like something from previous centuries. And he was pointing an arrow at Alex.  
  
"Hey now there's no need for-" Jenny stopped as she realized that there was a man pointing an arrow at her, too.  
  
Jackie gasped as she looked in front of her and also found one. She gulped and looked over at Andrea, who had two blonde men in front of her.  
  
"Uhh.we surrender?" tried Alex.  
  
***  
  
They were led up across a bridge, a staircase, and through many long halls. Jackie noticed that the building was extremely large, and also that it was very beautiful. The intricate carvings they had seen on the wall near the end of the tunnel continued to grow more and more fascinating. The whole place was fascinating. Even their captors, Jackie noticed, were fascinating, as well as beautiful. They all had straight, long hair, and slender but strong builds. Their graceful ears were pointed at the top. 'How strange,' Jackie thought. 'I've never seen anyone with pointed ears before.' She noticed the one on her right side was particularly lovely, with blue eyes and the prettiest hair.  
  
They were led down the longest, widest hallway to an important man seated at the very end in a high, elaborately decorated chair. He held his head high, and his long brown hair was topped with a crown of gold leaves. He was surrounded with lots of people, all with pointy ears. They stopped in front of him. He spoke to the men holding the four friends in a beautiful, unrecognizable tongue. Jackie listened carefully, but it didn't seem like any language she had ever heard. It was musical and almost unearthly.  
  
"What is that, French?" Alex asked. "Wee, wee, jay nay parlay-"  
  
"Quiet, mortal!" The man spoke. "Tell us what you're business is here."  
  
They all spoke at once.  
  
"Well we were trying-"  
  
"And he just melted!"  
  
"Some kind of weird writing-"  
  
"We weren't trespassing, honest-"  
  
"How did we get to France?!"  
  
"SILENCE!" The man roared at last, standing up. They all stopped at once. "One of you please explain how you got here, and why."  
  
Jackie gulped and stepped forward. "Ahh, well you see, sir, we were, uh, at the Pataskala Street Fair when we found this, um, key that this old man dropped, so we followed him, and then he vanished into a rock, and we fit the key into a hole in the rock, and it opened, and there was a tunnel, and we followed it and got trapped in.and.and.we got here. We don't know why."  
  
The brown-haired man looked pensive. After a few moments he spoke. "I have never heard of this, Pataskala you speak of."  
  
"Oh well its only a little hick town, sir. Not many people have." Alex said. Andi gave him a dirty look.  
  
The man raised his eyebrows. "Hick town?" he said. "I know not of what you speak."  
  
"Listen sir we're just as confused as you are," Jenny said. "We don't know why the tunnel led us here. We're from Pataskala- well I'm from Blacklick, but that's not the point. My name's Jenny, and this is Jackie, and Andrea's back there.and this idiot is Alex," she said jerking her thumb towards him. "Maybe if you tell us where we are, that would help."  
  
"You are in the Rivendell, Jenny of Blacklick," said the man. "In the House of Elrond. And I, I am Elrond."  
  
"Well, Elrond, SIR," said Alex. "How far away is Pataskala?"  
  
"There is no Pataskala around here," Elrond answered. "I have never heard of such a place."  
  
"Well it's just on the other side of that tunnel! The one we came from!" said Andi, who spoke after remaining quiet this entire time. "It's right out there, I'll show you." She turned and walked out of the hallway, leading the way. Jackie, Jenny, and Alex following at her heels. The strange men and Elrond walked quickly and gracefully after them. They rounded the bend where the tunnel was.  
  
"It's not there!" Andi cried. "It disappeared!" It was true. Where the entrance to the tunnel had been, there was now a rock identical to the one that they has first seen in Pataskala. There was no keyhole, but it wouldn't have mattered because they had left the key in the rock on the other side.  
  
"Well how are we going to get home?!" Alex panicked. He was pacing frantically around the space. "We're going to die!"  
  
Jackie bit her lip and held back a tear. How were they going to get home? They didn't know where they were, let alone how to get back home. The young blue-eyed man who had led her spoke.  
  
"It seems to me that dark magic is among us. I have never seen men like these before, and they dress strangely. Elrond, I do not trust these strangers."  
  
"Oh shut up blondie," Jenny spat. His eyes grew big. "You're just as strange as us as we apparently are to you. We just want to know how to get back." She looked to Elrond.  
  
"I do not know how you will get home," he said evenly. "And I do not know how you came to be here. But, you do not seem dangerous. You may stay here until I figure out how to get you back from where you came from."  
  
"But what if you don't figure it out?" Jackie whispered. "What if we're stuck here?"  
  
Elrond sighed heavily. "I do not know what will become of this. But I need time."  
  
"Elrond, they may be spies. We cannot possibly allow them to stay here, loose!"  
  
"Legolas, we have no reason to distrust them. They will remain guests here, as are you. I am asking you to show them to their rooms. I am also asking you to answer their questions, for I assume they will have many if they come from where I think they may." With that he whisked away. Jackie looked over at Andrea, who had tears steadily streaming down her face. She felt a tear slide down her face as well.  
  
***  
  
They followed the Legolas through many more rooms and corridors. They were all quiet, thinking about what would happen. Jackie thought this whole situation was unbelievable, and couldn't help thinking she was in a dream. A very strange dream.  
  
"Try to remember your way, so as to not get lost." Legolas said. He led them briskly so that Jackie had to half-run to keep up with him.  
  
"Um, excuse me, but what exactly are you?" Jackie asked tentatively. He didn't seem to be human; he was much too beautiful and graceful. There was also the ear factor. She had never seen ears like that, anywhere.  
  
"You mean, you don't know?" He asked.  
  
"No stupid. We're in never-never land, there are tons of weird creatures around us, and we can't get home! We don't know what you are!" Jenny said, exasperatedly. Jackie could see she was beginning to dislike Legolas, who looked very taken aback at these words. He stared ahead for a moment, walking in silence.  
  
"I am an elf. We are all elves here. Well, most of us."  
  
"ELVES?!" said Alex. "Like the Santa ones in the North Pole? The kind that make toys? Cool!! I thought you were shorter, though."  
  
Legolas was looking at Alex with utmost disgust. "No! We do not make toys! We are elves! I do not know why you have that notion, but I assure you it is not true."  
  
"What makes an elf different from a human?" Jenny asked.  
  
"Everything," Legolas said condescendingly. "Don't you know anything? Elves are the wisest, fairest creatures in Middle Earth. They are immortal."  
  
'Middle Earth?' Jackie thought.  
  
"Wow," Alex said. "So if I stab you, you won't die?"  
  
"Do not speak, for every word that comes out of your mouth is one of unintelligence," Legolas answered. "Elves will die if they are killed. But they cannot die of age. For elves do not age physically. I," he said proudly, "am 2,931 years old."  
  
"Whoa," Jackie breathed. And she had thought he was in his twenties!  
  
"Here are your rooms," he said, coming to a stop in front of four rooms that all had outside entrances. The view from where they were standing was absolutely spectacular. The leaves were brilliant shades of red and orange and gold, and fell from the gray branches in swirls, landing at the feet of the distant trees. Separating them from the forest was a wide river.  
  
"I will leave you now," Legolas said. "You may be called for later. Dinner is served at 6:00 in the Great Hall. You won't want to be late." He turned and walked briskly in the direction they had come from, his blonde hair sweeping after him.  
  
Jackie turned to her friends. "Well." she trailed off.  
  
Andrea, who had been silent since they had found out the tunnel closed in, finally spoke. "It's all you're fault!" she said tearfully to Jackie. "And yours!" she said pointing at Jenny. She ran into the far most room, slamming the door behind her. Jackie looked at Jenny.  
  
"Well, what are we going to do?" she whispered. "She's right, it's my fault!"  
  
"It's not your fault, Jackie. It's mine for finding that key. She didn't have to come." Jenny sighed. "Anyways, she was the one who went after that weird guy in the first place. And I don't know what we're going to do. But we'll make it.it will be okay," she said reassuringly.  
  
Alex yawned and stretched. "Well, I think I might be able to get used to it here! These rooms are beautiful. Besides, free food." He sauntered into the third room and shut the door.  
  
"And we just had to get stuck with him, didn't we?" Jenny asked, looking after him. Jackie smiled. "Anyways, you should get some rest. We'll think about it more after that." Jenny walked into the first room and Jackie into the second.  
  
When Jackie walked into her room and shut the door, she gasped. The room had stone walls, but beautifully intricate mahogany accents, carvings of what were apparently elf maidens and leaves. The bedcovering was purple velvet. She sank onto it, and lay back. She closed her eyes. 'Elves really are beautiful, even if strange, creatures,' she mused. Then she knew no more. 


	3. Going to be here for a while

***  
  
Jackie was awakened by a loud rapping on the door. She sat up, rubbing her eyes. Remembering where she was and her heart sank. She reluctantly got up and opened the door. Outside was an elf woman, carrying linens. Jackie opened the door wider and moved in order to let her in.  
  
"Master Elrond has sent orders that you were to be sent towels for bathing as well as clothes." She placed the linens on the table in the corner of the room. Then she opened the wardrobe and hung up a few dresses. "He has said that you may wear your." she looked at Jackie's outfit, which was a pair of jean Capri's and a white tank top. ".own clothes for now, but on some occasions it might not be appropriate. He has sent outfits that will fit you. Is there anything else you need?"  
  
"No, thank you very much," Jackie said. The elf woman left. Jackie went over to the wardrobe and reopened it to look at the dresses.  
  
"Ohh.." she breathed as she pulled one out. There were 5, of all different colors. They were all made of the finest velvet material, soft and smooth.  
  
There was another knock at the door. "Come in," Jackie said softly. In walked Jenny.  
  
"Jackie did they bring your dresses up yet? Mine are amazing!" she said excitedly. She rushed over to where Jackie was standing at her wardrobe and they oohed and aahed over the beautiful dresses.  
  
"I wonder if Andi got hers," Jackie said quietly. Jenny stopped. "I don't know, we could go and check," she said. "That is, if she's not too mad at us."  
  
They walked over to Andrea's room and Jackie knocked tentatively on the door. It creaked open and Andi peeked out.  
  
"We wanted to know how you were doing," Jackie said.  
  
"Okay, I guess," said Andrea slowly. "Some elf lady brought me up dresses. They're really pretty."  
  
"We got some too," Jackie said. "Andi, please don't be mad at us."  
  
"We're sorry we got you into this mess," Jenny added.  
  
Andrea sighed. "It's okay. I guess it's partially my fault for following that guy anyways. And it's only a matter of time, right? We will get out of here, right?"  
  
"Right," Jackie and Jenny said in unison. Jackie, however felt more uncertain than she sounded. "I guess we might as well make the best of the time we do have here," Jenny said, shrugging. "After all it's not every day you go through a secret passage way and meet.elves."  
  
Jackie looked at her watch. "Oh my gosh!" she exclaimed. "It's 5:50! We have to be at the Great Hall in 10 minutes!"  
  
The girls banged desperately on Alex's door until he finally came out, yawning. When they told him about dinner, his eyes got wide and the four raced down the passageways, trying to the best of their memory to get back to the Great Hall. They finally reached it, at 1 minute until 6. They hurriedly sat down on the side opposite from Elrond, who was shooting them disapproving looks. Jackie noticed she was sitting next to Legolas. She had to admit, she was pleased with the seating arrangement.  
  
***  
  
The food was the most delicious Jackie had ever tasted in her entire life. Although most of it was unidentifiable, it was scrumptious and she loaded more and more onto her plate. Legolas stared at her in disbelief.  
  
"Does everyone eat that ravenously where you come from?" Jackie noticed Jenny was eating fast, and Alex was shoveling food in his mouth at a tremendous rate, which was causing him to receive disgusted stares from the elves sitting around him, who were picking daintily at the small amount of food on their plates.  
  
"No," she answered him. "We're just really hungry. And this food is really good. Really good."  
  
Legolas smiled. "I'm glad you like it. Are you finding your stay most enjoyable?"  
  
Jackie hesitated. She missed it back home, but she was enjoying it here. "Yes," she answered truthfully. "I guess I am." But that did not mean she did not want to go home.  
  
"Glad to hear it," Legolas said.  
  
There was a pause before she finally asked "Where are we?"  
  
Legolas sighed. "Well that is difficult to answer as we do not know where you have come to us from. We have never seen people in all of Middle-Earth as strange as you."  
  
"Middle Earth," Jackie said. "I heard you say that before. What do you mean by it?"  
  
"Middle Earth. You did not come from Middle Earth?" He asked curiously.  
  
"Um, I'm not really sure what you're talking about. What is Middle Earth? Is there an Upper and Lower Earth too?"  
  
Legolas looked startled. "If you don't know, then I do not believe I am the one to tell you. You must take it up with Elrond. He will be able to explain this much better than I."  
  
Dinner began to disperse. Legolas got up and left the table abruptly, leaving Jackie confused and bewildered.  
  
***  
  
"What did you talk about with Legolas?" Jenny whispered to Jackie as they walked back to their rooms.  
  
"I don't know," Jackie said doubtfully. "But I think I figured out we're in a place called Middle Earth. Do you know where, or what, that is?"  
  
"No clue," said Jenny "But it sounds really weird."  
  
***  
  
The next morning Jackie woke up to light pouring from the window. A window that was not her own. Suddenly she shot up, remembering what had, what was, happening. She got up and made her bed. As she looked around her room, she realized that breakfast had been brought up for her. She carefully carried her wooden tray to Jenny's room, where Andi soon joined them, and then Alex. Jackie filled in Alex and Andi about what Legolas told her last night at dinner.  
  
"Well what the hell does that mean?" asked Alex, stuffing a piece of Andi's bread in his mouth. He had eaten all of his breakfast earlier.  
  
"Well we don't know. But I think it means that we're not anywhere near Pataskala. Possibly not even America." Jackie said.  
  
"I knew we were in France!" Alex said triumphantly.  
  
"Look at the clothes and food.it looks primitive. I'm not so sure we're in the same time period. I think we may have traveled through time." Jenny said gravely.  
  
"Though time?" asked Andi with a worried look on her face. "But that's impossible. We can't do that! We just.we just crawled through a tunnel!" She shook her head in disbelief. "This is some kind of joke."  
  
"Who would play a joke this elaborate?" Jackie said. "No. this is very real. Whether we like it or not, this is happening."  
  
"I think it's time to find out where we are exactly," said Jenny.  
  
"Elrond," they all said together. ***  
  
A short time later, when they got to the hall where they had first seen Elrond, he was not in his chair. They questioned a nearby elf who refused to tell them where he was.  
  
"Look man, tell us where Elrond is, or else I will punch your face in!" Alex said threateningly. The elf said something in elvish back, or what Jackie assumed was elvish, which sounded like it was possibly an elvish curse. Jackie sighed.  
  
"Shut up, Alex." She turned towards the elf. "Listen, this is really important. We need to talk with him. We have questions that only he can answer-"  
  
"I am sorry, but Master Elrond is not to be disturbed. You may ask him later." The elf sniffed at them.  
  
"You better let us see him!" Alex lunged at the elf. Jenny and Andi both had to hold him back by his shirt. Just then Elrond came out of the adjacent hallway.  
  
"Elrond!" They all exclaimed at once.  
  
"Yes I thought you might be looking for me," he said. "Please come into this room, and we will discuss your presence in Rivendell."  
  
Alex directed a very rude gesture towards the haughty elf as they left, which earned him a smack on the head from Andrea.  
  
When they all got into the room and sat down, Jackie started.  
  
"When I was at dinner yesterday night, Legolas said something about Middle Earth. What exactly was he talking about?"  
  
"Yes, I feared this. I am afraid you have come from another dimension of some sort, of different time and space. The tunnel you traveled through must have been some kind of time and space port, which transported you from your world to ours. But now, it has closed up. I have not yet figured out a way to get you back home."  
  
Jackies heart sank.  
  
"However," he continued. "I do have ideas that I will need to look farther into. I will let you know when I make progress. I do not think it was by chance that you find that key. I think that someone wanted you to find it for a reason. Someone wanted you here for a reason. What that reason is, I cannot be sure. However I am very busy now with more pressing matters, so I beg your pardon if I am not able to find your way back home just yet. " "Oh," Andrea said, disappointedly, as Elrond got up and left the room. "Looks like we're going to be here for a while."  
  
"Well it isn't all so bad," Alex said, appearing to be in deep thought. "They have really good food!"  
  
*** 


	4. Strange Whispers

***  
  
After the four left the room, they decided to go around and get acquainted with the 'castle', as Alex had started to call it. They walked into many rooms and through many corridors, each one more amusing and beautiful than the next. Many of the rooms had carvings or paintings of weird scenes, appearing to be wars or battles unknown. There were also very strange creatures in these paintings, which Jackie had never seen before, except possibly in fairy tale books. She did not want to see some of them, either.  
  
Alex was particularly fascinated with one room, which among other things held the shards of a sword.  
  
"Wow, neat!" He exclaimed, picking up the handle.  
  
"Alex put that down!" Jenny snapped. "You shouldn't mess with things if they're not yours."  
  
Still Alex held up the handle of the sword, and waved it around. "Whoosh, whoosh," he said, obviously pretending to be in a sword fight.  
  
Jackie rolled her eyes and sighed heavily. He was going to poke his eye out, or worse. "Alex, put it down," she said tiredly. He was obedient and immediately placed it where it had lied before.  
  
"Nice," said Andrea, circling around Alex. "You've got him whipped or something, Jackie? He listens to you! Of course, that could be because he's madly in love with you."  
  
"I'm not madly in love with her! I'm just.oh all right I love her. Jackie I love you." He came over and put his arm around Jackie's shoulders. She squirmed.  
  
"Alex, please." Jackie struggled as he attempted to hug her. "Get-off!" She pushed him off of her, where he stood looking at her disappointedly.  
  
"Well you didn't have to be so." he trailed off as he caught site of Jenny, who was looking at a picture. They all went and gathered around it.  
  
It was a strange, dark picture, of a man with armor on, holding up a sword to a huge metal creature. Jackie shivered as she realized that the sword in the picture remarkably resembled the one that was lying in shards a few feet away.  
  
"What do you suppose this is?" Andi asked.  
  
"I don't know but it doesn't look too good for the guy in the picture," Jenny said thoughtfully. "Especially if that's his sword."  
  
After a few minutes the four left to go outside, and explore there. They walked through the edges of the woods, admiring their breathtaking surroundings. The air was cool, and Jackie guessed it to be mid-fall. Then they walked along the river, which was full of clear, sparkling water. 'Nothing like the dirty streams at home,' Jackie thought. 'This entire place is magnificent.'  
  
They strolled around for an hour or so, and then walked back to what appeared to be the 'front porch'. As they were stepping onto the stone, they were cut off suddenly by a group of elves, carrying what looked like a small child. They were talking furiously in their own language, and moving very fast, yet carefully and gracefully. They disappeared into one of the archways.  
  
The four were speechless for a moment. "Well I hope he's all right!" Jenny said doubtfully. The elves around them looked mystified as well.  
  
'How weird,' Jackie thought. 'I wonder if this has anything to do with the important matters Elrond was talking about.' She shrugged it off and they walked back into the House.  
  
***  
  
The next few days were strange ones in the House of Elrond, and seemed even stranger to the four guests from Pataskala. Many people, and some things that were not people, were slowly coming into Rivendell. Some were men, and Jackie and her friends were relieved to at least have some people of their own kind among them. However, when she was able to find one of these people and question them, they seemed to know nothing of Pataskala, just as the elves hadn't. They were dressed like the elves, but in darker colors. Most of them had long, greasy hair and beards. None of them were women. There were also funny-looking small creatures, which Alex mistook for lawn gnomes. He got kicked in the shin from one of them when he asked how they came alive. These creatures, Jackie ascertained, were called dwarves, and they were very short in stature, standing only about four feet tall, shorter than her. They had thick hair and long, braided beards. Most of them were heavily laden with axes and shields much of the time. For nearly a week men and dwarves trickled in. In the evenings the dining hallway was now packed.  
  
Then one day Jackie saw a creature she had never seen before. It was not a man, although it certainly resembled one, and it was certainly not an elf. It was even shorter than a dwarf, but lacked the beard that every dwarf had. He was small, about 3 ½ feet tall, with curly light brown hair and a curious look on his face. His feet were amazingly large for his stature, and they were hairy. He wore no shoes. It struck Jackie that it looked like the child-like thing the elves carried in to the palace a few days ago, but she knew it wasn't the same one. She hurried over to Legolas, who was standing with his back against a wall.  
  
"What was that?" she asked. "It was a little man, even shorter than a dwarf. It looked like a little kid!"  
  
Legolas, who was sharpening a small knife on a rock, looked up when she spoke. "That," he said, "Is a hobbit. They're not very common, especially around here. There are a few of them here, and they were accompanied by Aragorn. They seem to play a large part in the events that are taking place."  
  
"What events?" Jackie asked curiously.  
  
Legolas stared at her. "You don't know what's going on?"  
  
"No," Jackie answered truthfully. She knew something was up, but she didn't know what that something was.  
  
Legolas looked back down at the knife. "I'm not completely sure myself. I just know that it is very important." He looked at her again, his blue eyes deep and unreadable. "And I believe Elrond suspects that you may be involved in some way. That's why I was suspicious of you when you first came here. The world is ever changing; it is not the same as it used to be. Shadow is creeping over the lands." He looked out towards the forest. "One cannot be sure of who he can trust. Friend and enemy are both dangerous."  
  
"Oh well, it's okay," Jackie said. "I don't even know what you're talking about, so I can defiantly assure you that I'm not involved with this creeping shadow." She nodded enthusiastically.  
  
"I suppose Elrond will wish to speak with you soon," Legolas said to her. Jackie realized that she had not seen Elrond, let alone spoke with him, for at least four days.  
  
"Good-bye!" she said to Legolas, before taking off for her room. She decided to find Jenny and Andrea, and tell them these strange things that Legolas told her.  
  
***  
  
When Jackie got to the veranda along their rooms, she noticed the door to Jenny's room partly opened. She pushed it all the way and went inside, where she found Jenny and Andrea sitting on the bed, chatting. Now that they had all gotten over the initial shock of being transported to a different place and time, they were not so apprehensive about the whole affair. It was nice to be away from their world for a while. They were actually able to enjoy their stay, and they were also confident that Elrond would find a way to get them back to Pataskala, or at least to their time. And with no parents around, they were able to do pretty much whatever they pleased.  
  
"Where's Alex?" Jackie asked, noticing that he wasn't there.  
  
"Well we were in the kitchens with him earlier, looking for a snack," said Jenny, rolling her eyes. "He kept bugging the elf cooks for pop-tarts, and they insisted that they did not know what he was talking about. Then he asked if they had Twinkies, M&M's, donuts, Mountain Dew, or Skittles, all of which they didn't. We left because it was starting to get pretty embarrassing; he was all over the floor, throwing a fit. He's probably still down there if you want to talk to him."  
  
"No I don't really need to talk to him, he probably won't really understand anyways, he probably wouldn't understand," Jackie mused. "I talked to Legolas and I wanted to tell you guys what he said."  
  
"Oh!" said Andrea. "Any new leads on getting us home?"  
  
"No, unfortunately," said Jackie. "But he told me that the world, this world, is changing. Apparently there's some evil that's lurking around, and the reason they were all suspicious of us at first is that they thought we were a part of it. But we might be. I think that they seem to think that the old man who dropped the key might have led us here for a reason. It could be good, and it could be very bad."  
  
"How could we mess anything up?" Andrea asked. "We don't even know anything that's going on."  
  
"We're not supposed to be here, and that could lead to anything!" Jenny said. "We could prevent someone from getting killed that was meant to die. Or kill someone who wasn't supposed to die," she added gravely.  
  
"But what if we were sent here for a good reason?" Jackie asked. "What if the man who dropped this key knew that we could prevent something from happening, or cause something to happen, that would change the fate of this world for the better? Or, if we did time travel, perhaps we have already changed it, in the past of our world and the future of this world."  
  
"Or," Andrea said irritably, "Maybe we just crawled through a stupid tunnel and got sent to fairy land. I don't see what the big deal is."  
  
Just then there was a knock at the door. An elf lady stepped in, the same one that had brought them their towels the first day. "Master Elrond wishes to see you," she said. So they got up and left, following her.  
  
***  
  
She led them down to the main floor On the way, they stopped in the kitchens and dragged out Alex, who was munching on some sort of elf candy the cooks had conjured up for him. They walked all the way to the center of the House, to a large room with a dome at the top. It was more beautiful than any other room they had seen. They saw Elrond there, sitting at a desk and looking very seriously at a parchment in front of him. As they drew closer Jackie noticed that it was a map, but she didn't recognize anything on it. Elrond glanced up.  
  
"You wanted to talk to us?" Jenny asked.  
  
"Yes, I did," he answered. "I believe I have found a way to get you back home."  
  
The four cheered. This was great news, and although they would be sad to leave the beautiful Rivendell, they would be very happy to get home.  
  
"However," Elrond said, and their spirits sank. "This will take a while to accomplish. I have found out about a key that does in fact unlock chambers that will allow one to travel through time. However, the tunnel you traveled through is only able to transport you from the future to the past. You cannot get from the past to the future through that tunnel, and besides, there is no keyhole on this side."  
  
"So how are we gonna get back?" Alex asked, his mouth full of elven candy.  
  
"I have found another passageway. It is, however, not here. We know how the key is fashioned, but we have yet to forge another one. The only other tunnel I know of is near Moria." He closed his eyes and shook his head. "And Moria is very far away. It will take a very long time to get there. Not to mention another two weeks to forge the key."  
  
"Two weeks!" Andi moaned.  
  
"Yes, Lady Andrea," Elrond said to her. "I suggest you get comfortable here, as you will be staying here for a while. And there is the other matter of finding you a guide. I do not know who will be willing to take up the task. We shall have to see. But that is not all that I wanted to talk to you about."  
  
He folded the map closed. "There are more matters more urgent right now, and I am afraid that you may be involved. Not by your own doing, but unknowingly when you picked up that key. In our land, there is a Dark Lord, who is growing ever stronger, beginning to gain power. All it takes is one ring for him to come fully to power. This will be the end of the free world as we know it here." He paused before continuing. "And that ring, that powerful ring, has come here."  
  
Jackie furrowed her brows, trying to understand. It was all very unbelievable.  
  
"This is not the whole story, but it is the part that you need to hear right now. I believe that perhaps, it was the Dark Lord's doing that you are here right now. He may want to use you in the scheme to get the ring for himself. I am asking that you be very careful. Thirdly," he continued, "There is to be a council tomorrow, and I am asking that you please come. It will concern the ring, and may also concern you. And lastly, there is to be a feast tonight. I am going to have to ask you to wear the clothes that were brought up for you the day you arrived. They will be much more appropriate than the ones you are wearing now." Then he was silent.  
  
"It that all?" Jackie asked solemnly.  
  
"Yes, you may leave now," he answered. And they did so.  
  
***  
  
"We're not getting home anytime soon, are we?" Alex asked.  
  
"Nice detective work, dipshit. No, we're not." Andrea answered, crossing her arms as she walked.  
  
"Hey guys, stop it. He found us a way home, didn't he? We should be grateful. Anyways, it's not so bad here," she said. She found herself thinking about Legolas.  
  
"Uh I think we have more urgent matters, like getting ready for the feast that's in a half an hour," Jenny said, glancing at her watch.  
  
When they all got to the veranda, they went separately into their rooms. Jackie went to her wardrobe, and mused over her dresses. She finally selected a gold-brown dress that matched her hair. When she slipped it on it was velvety smooth, just like the bed coverings. She brushed out her thick brown hair with the brush that was on the dresser, and pulled it down into a knot at the nape of her neck. Then she looked around for shoes. She knew her blue thong sandals wouldn't go with her dress at all. She looked in the wardrobe again, and to her surprise found small, golden shoes at the bottom. She slipped them on. Perfect. She looked just like an elf now. Well, without the pointy ears.  
  
She walked outside and found Jenny and Andrea already waiting for her. Andrea was wearing a velvet dress of dark blue, and her hair was brushed neatly down to her shoulders. Jenny was wearing a dress of wine red with a gold waistband, and her hair in a neat bun at the top of her head. Each had a pair of shoes identical to Jackie's.  
  
"Where's Alex?" she asked.  
  
"He won't come out! We don't think he can get his clothes on," Andrea said exasperatedly. "If they're anything like the other elf men's clothes, then that's why."  
  
They decided against better judgment to go in there and help him. As they opened up his door, they saw him struggling to get on a shirt.  
  
"Honestly can't you dress yourself?" Jenny asked.  
  
"There's about twenty pieces here! I don't know where anything goes!" he said, frustrated. It took them 5 minutes to get him in order, and by then the feast was less than 10 minutes away. They walked quickly down to the dining hallway.  
  
*** 


	5. The Feast

***  
  
When they entered the dining hallway, they all gasped at the magnificent site. The three tables were piled high with delicious looking food. Everyone in the entire house seemed to be there, and they might well have been. Many tall candles were lit, illuminating the beautiful designs on the wall. They sat down quickly near the middle of the left-most table, and Jackie was thrilled to be sitting next to Legolas again.  
  
Soon after they sat down, the feasting began. The food was defiantly the best food they had eaten ever, even compared to the food they had eaten before in Rivendell. Jackie began to wonder why, though. Did they just have feasts for no reason?  
  
She turned to Legolas at her left side. "What is the feast celebrating?" she asked.  
  
"Why the recovery of the young Mr. Baggins, of course," he answered.  
  
"Who?" Jackie asked, confused.  
  
"Over there." He pointed to a brown curly-haired hobbit. She recognized him as the one that the elves had carried in a few days back.  
  
"What happened to him?" she asked.  
  
"He was struck by a ringwraith- a thing that wants the ring," he explained, "on his way here." Legolas then went on explaining a little more about the ring, how it was forged, and about Sauron. Jackie was not the only one who was listening, Jenny and Andrea had stopped eating to listen also. Alex, however, continued eating and a great speed.  
  
"So Sauron will exist, as long as the ring does?" Jackie asked. "Wow, that's one dangerous piece of jewelry."  
  
"It is," said Legolas gravely.  
  
The feast went on. Jackie noticed Alex staring at the elf maiden who was sitting near Elrond.  
  
"Who's that?" she asked, indicating the elf woman to Legolas.  
  
"That is Arwen, the daughter of Elrond. And beside her is Aragorn son of Arathorn."  
  
"Well I think Alex seems to like her," Jackie said matter-of-factly.  
  
Legolas laughed. Jackie noticed that he looked particularly handsome as he smiled, and she dropped her fork with a sudden clang.  
  
"He will have to take it up with Aragorn," he said.  
  
"Don't give him any ideas," Jackie warned. "He's not too bright."  
  
***  
  
Suddenly, after everyone had had their fill of food and drink, (except for maybe Alex) Elrond and Arwen stood up, and led the guests into another room. Jackie found herself walking beside Legolas. She was beginning to like this elf, very much.  
  
"We are going to the Hall of Fire," he said to her. "In here we will have a sort of party, with songs and stories."  
  
"What kinds of stories?" Jackie asked curiously.  
  
"Of days of old, tales of the elven ancestors and great battles that took place many a year ago. The fire always burns in this hallway."  
  
As she walked into the room, Jackie was amazed yet again at the beauty of the Last Homely House. A large fire was burning, illuminating the paintings and carvings on the wall. Sweet, melodious voices from all different corners of the room were singing enchanting songs. As she looked at Legolas, she saw the red and yellow from the fire was turning his blond hair into a blaze. His face was smooth and shadowed, the light playing off of it.  
  
She found Jenny, who raised an eyebrow when she saw her. Alex, gnawing on a turkey leg, came following Andrea. He was still captivated by Lady Arwen. 'She is very beautiful,' Jackie thought. 'Even for an elf. But Legolas is by far the most handsome elf.'  
  
Jackie chatted with her friends for a while, about the different people in the room, and also about home. She felt a slight ache in her stomach of homesickness.  
  
She sighed and stretched lazily. She checked her watch, it was midnight. She wandered alone around the room, marveling at the beautiful sounds that were filling it, and the beautiful creatures that were creating them. She found Legolas standing in a circle of people around one of the hobbits she had learned about. This one seemed older, perhaps he was the father of the other hobbits? She could not tell. He began to chant:  
  
Earendil was a mariner That tarried in Arvenien; He built a boat of timber felled In Nimberethil to journey in.  
  
And continued, ending with  
  
.for ever still a herald on the errand that should never rest to bear his shining lamp afar, the Flammifer of Westernesse.  
  
She clapped enthusiastically when it was over, Legolas clapping next to her. The verses were very good. 'The hobbit has talent,' she thought. 'That was wonderful!' She yawned as the crowd around the hobbit dispersed. She found Andrea, and together they went up to their rooms. Jenny and Alex wanted to stay a little longer and 'party'.  
  
When she got into her room, Jackie collapsed onto her bed. The party was exhilarating, yet exhausting. She closed her eyes and fell into a light and feeble sleep.  
  
***  
  
She woke up suddenly. When she looked at her watch, she saw that it was 3:00. As much as she tried to go back to sleep, she just couldn't. She tossed and turned before finally getting up and looking out the window. The full moon was bright, casting a silver glow on the gray trees and clear, sparkling water below. She decided to go and take a walk.  
  
Jackie creaked open the door slowly. No one was out. She tiptoed out, and shut the door. Then she walked quietly down the steps.  
  
She slowly walked through the open porches and verandas around the House. 'It's so beautiful,' she thought. 'And even more beautiful at night.' The party seemed to have ended; there was no noise coming from the Hall of Fire. She stopped at a balcony over the river, and looked down into it. She could see black fishes swimming about in it. She looked up into the cloudless night. The stars were like diamonds against a black velvet backdrop. Even growing up in the country, where the stars shown bright on a clear night, she had never seen a sky this beautiful.  
  
"It is a beautiful night, isn't it?" a smooth voice said suddenly.  
  
Jackie jumped a mile. Who the hell.  
  
Legolas. He smiled broadly at her. "Sorry if I made you jump."  
  
"It-it's okay. I just wasn't expecting anyone."  
  
"Neither was I. Do you mind if I join you?" he asked. Jackie shrugged and he perched himself lightly on the balcony railing.  
  
"Where I live, it's nothing like this. I mean, it's pretty and everything, but the stars don't shine nearly this bright."  
  
"What's it like where you come from?"  
  
She wasn't sure how to answer this. It was so different in so many ways. "Well," she began, "it's much faster. People are so busy that I guess they don't really get a chance to look at the sky much. And-and there's less trees, they've all been cut down by developers and other people."  
  
"Pataskala indeed is a very strange name for a land."  
  
Jackie laughed at this. Apparently the elves did find them as fascinating as they found them. 'No,' she thought, 'I think I'm still much more intrigued by them.'  
  
"Do you live here?" she asked.  
  
"No," he answered, looking off into the east. "I reside in Mirkwood Forest. I am, I fact, Legolas Greenleaf, the Elf Prince of Mirkwood."  
  
"You're a prince?!" Jackie exclaimed in disbelief. "Wow! Well what are you doing here?"  
  
"I came to stay with Elrond when I heard of the strange events that were taking place. I am also going to the council tomorrow."  
  
"Isn't it dangerous to be here, with the ring here too?" she asked doubtfully. It seemed risky to keep something so dangerous here for so long.  
  
"The elves have powers against dark forces. That does not mean the ring can stay here forever," he said, "But it will buy time. Elrond is one of the most powerful elves in all of Middle Earth."  
  
Suddenly they both turned as they heard a figure come out of the House, in the direction of the Hall of Fire. Jackie stared in disbelief as she realized it was Alex.  
  
"Alex?" she asked. "What are you doing here? You should go to bed!"  
  
But he did not answer her. He walked with his eyes half closed, muttering. He was sleepwalking! Jackie couldn't believe it. He almost made it to one of the staircases, but at the last moment slumped over and fell against the wall, snoring loudly.  
  
Jackie looked at Legolas and they burst out laughing. Someone had obviously had a little too much partying. She noticed how when Legolas laughed, his cool blue eyes danced and shone in the light of the moon. Suddenly he jumped down off of the balcony and took her hand, facing her.  
  
"You are very beautiful, Lady Jackie of Pataskala."  
  
She felt herself blush furiously. She had certainly not expected that! She couldn't think of a response and she stood there speechless, staring into his eyes. Finally, she got herself together.  
  
"Thank you," she murmured softly. He gave her one last grin, and with that he was off, quieter than a cat. She looked after him as he disappeared into the shadows. 'Did he mean what he just said?' she wondered. She sighed and took one last look at the stars before waking up a very confused Alex and leading him to his room.  
  
*** 


	6. The Council and The Ring

***  
  
The next morning was bright and crisp. Jackie sprang out of bed, despite the lack of sleep. She was too excited after last night's events, and with the Council only a few hours away. She chose a lavender dress, changed into it, and then walked outside to bang on Jenny and Andrea's doors for them to wake up. They came out sleepy eyed in their white nightdresses that had been provided for the girls.  
  
"Why are we up so early?" asked Andi grumpily, slumping up against the wall.  
  
"The council!" Jackie reminded them impatiently.  
  
"Oh my gosh, are we late? Why are we late to everything." Jenny moaned.  
  
"No, we still have a couple hours," Jackie said. I just thought you should be getting up anyways, so we aren't late."  
  
"Well why didn't you wake Alex up?" asked Andrea.  
  
"He needs all the rest he can get," Jackie giggled. "He was sleepwalking near the Hall of Fire last night after the party!"  
  
"How do you know?" Jenny asked incredulously. "You went to bed before me or him!"  
  
Jackie hesitated. Should she tell them about Legolas? "No,' she thought. 'Not just yet. Anyways, maybe nothing will come out of it.'  
  
"I couldn't sleep, so I took a walk," she said. It was the truth, just not the whole truth. "I guess we better wake him up anyways, though."  
  
"Yeah, we don't want another clothes fiasco like yesterday," Jenny said, rolling her eyes. "Honestly, out of all the people to be transported to another world with us, he just had to be the one."  
  
Jackie grinned and pounded on his door. A very sleepy, and apparently hung over Alex greeted them. He was not happy to be woken up.  
  
"Whatsha you doshigng shaklat for?" he asked, holding up his arm to block the bright sun.  
  
"Oh God Alex, were you drinking elvish wine last night?" asked Jenny in disbelief.  
  
"Maybe," he answered, slumping onto a chair by the door.  
  
It took the girls nearly 15 minutes to get dressed themselves, and then another half an hour to get Alex up and ready for the day. He was dressed, so all they had to do was pull on his socks and shoes, and straighten his tunic. Andrea was sent to fetch water so that he would wake up.  
  
"HEY!" he yelled as Jackie spilled the freezing water on his face. "No need to be mean about it! Oww.my head hurts. I want a Tylenol."  
  
"Sorry, no Tylenol here," answered Andrea, now very chipper.  
  
"It's your own stupid fault for getting drunk," said Jackie matter-of- factly. She looked at her watch. They had an hour, they might as well begin to make their way down there. She also secretly wanted to see Legolas again.  
  
"Come on!" she said, leading them down the stairs. It was a gorgeous day. The sun was shining bright, and the vivid leaves swayed as the wind blew through them. The air was chilly but pleasant. She wondered if it ever stormed in Rivendell. It certainly didn't seem like it would.  
  
When they got down to the porch where the Council was to be held (moving very slowly because of Alex, who was plodding miserably), they heard a single clear note from a bell. Jackie looked quizzically at a nearby elf.  
  
"The warning bell for the Council of Elrond," he informed her.  
  
"I feel like I'm at school again," Andi muttered, taking a seat in a chair. There were many chairs arranged in a circle. A stone pillar was in the middle of the circle, but there was nothing on it. Elrond sat on a raised chair at the opposite end of the circle from Jackie. He nodded to the four as they sat down.  
  
Andrea and Jenny chatted excitedly as elves, men, and dwarves trickled in. Jackie sat silent next to Alex, who stared ahead sleepily. She noticed that Andi, Jenny, and herself were the only women at the Council: the rest were men. She craned her neck back and forward, looking for Legolas.  
  
Finally he entered from the side. He was wearing long robes of brown and green, his hair immaculate. He quickly sat down near the elves, but shot a smile over at her. Her heart leapt, and felt so happy she could burst. She grinned broadly back at him.  
  
Then, Elrond stood up and greeted them. The Council began.  
  
***  
  
The beginning of The Council of Elrond consisted mostly of long accounts and opinions given by many a man, elf, and dwarf. Jackie kept having to elbow Alex in the ribs to keep him awake, because he kept dozing off with his head resting on his chest.  
  
Jackie herself was snapped back to reality after a daydream when one of the hobbits jumped to his feet.  
  
"Then it belongs to you, and not me at all!" he exclaimed, holding up a golden ring. It glittered in the sunlight. Everyone was silent.  
  
'That must be the One Ring that Sauron forged,' Jackie thought. 'It looks like nothing more than a wedding band to me. It's hard to believe something that small carries so much power.' Soon after that, after some more arguing, another hobbit stood up-Jackie recognized it as the older one- and gave a long account about how he had stumbled upon the ring in a mountain. Then, an old, bent, but very wise looking man stood up and gave a long account about what happened to him as he met a man named Saruman. Jackie was able to get from his speech that there was more than one ring formed. She shivered as the tale when on and on, getting more and more dark.  
  
After Gandalf's (the old man) account, there was some more arguing. It was decided that the ring would have to be destroyed, in the one place that it could be: Mordor. Jackie felt a twinge in her heart when the brown-haired hobbit offered to take the ring there.  
  
Finally, Elrond addressed her and her friends. She had to jab Alex again to wake him up. She heard him tell their story to the rest of the Council, who nodded uncertainly as they listened. Apparently their story was just as unbelievable to these people as theirs was to Jackie.  
  
"Ladies Andrea, Jackie, and Jenny, and Master Alex," Elrond said, turning towards them. Jackie felt herself turn red as the entire Council turned their eyes to her. "We will have the key forged before Frodo leaves for his journey to Mordor. And Moria will be on the way. If you would not mind, I would like to send you on the journey with him and his companions, of who will be decided later, up until that point. This will be the safest way for you, as you will be with many people who are able to protect you, and they know the way very well and will be sure not to get you lost. Will you accompany him?" he asked gravely.  
  
Jackie looked sideways at her friends. This was a very big decision. She was not looking forward to the prospect of traveling with that dangerous ring after the stories she had heard about it, but then again she knew this was the only way home. She nodded at them.  
  
"Yes, we will go."  
  
"Wonderful," said Elrond. "Now soon we will figure out is who will accompany Frodo on his journey. Besides, of course, Sam," he added to the reddish-haired hobbit who was sitting on the ground by Frodo, looking defiant.  
  
As the Council dispersed, Elrond walked over to Jackie. "I want you to understand, that this is a very dangerous undertaking, not just to you, but also to the fate of all Middle Earth. Whoever let you find that key wanted you to come here for a purpose, and we just have to keep hoping that that purpose was for the good. You must not give into the temptation of the ring, if it does in fact affect you, at all costs. Do you understand what I say?" he asked.  
  
Jackie swallowed and nodded. With that, he whisked away.  
  
***  
  
Jackie was quiet as she walked around with Jenny after the Council. She was thinking very hard about what Elrond and everyone else had said. Alex had gone off on his own (probably to search for Arwen), and Andrea had gone back up to her room to take a nap.  
  
"Well," Jenny prompted.  
  
"Well, what?" Jackie asked.  
  
"It's not so bad, is it? I mean, at least we're going to get to go home, even if it will take a while," she said lightly.  
  
"Jenny, did you hear how much damage that ring could do? And we're going to be traveling with it! It's dangerous!"  
  
"Yes, I know." Jenny frowned, becoming serious. "We're going to have to watch our actions more carefully. And Alex's, too," she added. "Anyways, I'm kind of looking forward to it."  
  
"What?" asked Jackie, puzzled. "Jenny what the hell do you." she trailed off as a strong hand was placed on her shoulder. She whirled around quickly, and saw it was Legolas. She gulped.  
  
"Oh!" she exclaimed. "Hi, Legolas."  
  
"Hello. I was looking for you," he said, smiling. Jackie saw Jenny raising her eyebrows at them with a look of mild surprise on her face. 'Oh crap,' Jackie thought. 'It won't take her long to figure out what's up.'  
  
"May we have a word?" Legolas said to Jenny.  
  
"Oh.sure," Jenny answered, waving her hand dismissively. "Have a few." She walked off smirking.  
  
Jackie turned so that she faced Legolas. She sighed. He looked so good.  
  
"What do you want to talk about?" she asked casually. She didn't want to seem too excited.  
  
"Not here. Let's go down to the gardens," he answered. She agreed and they walked slowly side by side down the wide stairway to one of the gardens below. The flowers were still blooming, and seemed to be holding onto the last breaths of summer that lingered oh-so-faintly in the air. The green vines of the plants curled gently over the pathways.  
  
They walked along together for a little bit, not saying a word, just enjoying the beautiful evening. Suddenly he stopped and spun slightly to look at her. She jolted. 'Geez,' she thought. 'He's going to give me a heart attack if he keeps this up.'  
  
"Do you know the seriousness of your trek, if indeed you do go with Frodo, and the ring, to Moria?"  
  
She did. She sighed heavily. "Yes, Elrond has told me. I know the dangers."  
  
He shook his head. "No," he said. "I do not think you realize all of the dangers that are out there. The road from Rivendell to Moria is filled with many dangers that you cannot even imagine. There are more dangerous beasts than wolves in the woods these days. If you are not properly prepared, then there is a very good chance that you will not make it there alive. It is a very great risk you take. And some of these creatures, such as the ringwraiths-"  
  
"I've heard you mention those before!" Jackie said. "Don't they seek the ring?"  
  
"Yes," he said gravely. "They cannot be killed, unless the ring is destroyed. They will seek the ring at all costs, killing anything that comes between them. And besides ringwraiths, there are orcs."  
  
"Orcs?" she asked.  
  
"Yes," Legolas said. "Orcs. I was afraid you have never heard of them. Orcs are terrible creatures, created by the Dark Lord to mock the elves," he spat. "They are also trained to kill, given orders by Saruman to bring the hobbits to him, and kill their companions. He knows who carries the ring."  
  
Jackie shuddered. She was feeling much more apprehensive about the journey now. She felt that she would much rather stay in the Last Homely House with Elrond and his kin, than go into the wilderness to face dangers unknown. But then she thought of her parents and her brother back home. She felt a knot form in her stomach.  
  
"I will get back home," she said. "Even though I know the risks. But I am needed there," she added quietly, almost to herself. "I miss my family." She felt her eyes well up with tears. Though she tried to hold it back, one slipped down her face. Legolas brushed it away with the back of his hand. She looked up into his blue eyes. God, she loved his eyes. They were deep blue, like two pools of round water. She blinked and turned away, her tears subsiding.  
  
"I know, Jackie." She took in a sharp breath. This was the first time he had not referred to her as 'Lady Jackie'. She liked this better.  
  
"I know you need to get home. I would do the same," he continued. "But you need to be prepared to face the danger that await you. Do you know how to use a sword?"  
  
Jackie shook her head. "No," she responded. She had seen scenes from movies and even watched a fencing match once, but she had never felt the need to know how to swordfight. Of course, she did grow up in the twenty-first century, where the vast majority of the people did not know how.  
  
"If you would consent, I would like to train you how to defend yourself. And your friends, also," he added quickly.  
  
'If I would consent?' Jackie thought amusedly. 'Why would I not consent?'  
  
"Of course," she answered. "I would be very grateful, and I'm sure my friends would too."  
  
Legolas smiled. "Great," he said. "We will start tomorrow morning, at 10 AM. Meet me here."  
  
"Okay," she said. Then, thinking better of it, added "Thank you."  
  
"It is likely I will be going with you," he said.  
  
Jackie almost let out a 'YES!' but stopped herself just in time.  
  
They began to walk back to the stairway. "If I do go, I will be representing the elves. Aragorn, son of Arathorn will almost for sure be going, also. You will be safe with him, for he is skilled with a sword, but I think you will find a little bit of training very useful," he said. 


	7. Love and Sword Fighting

A/N: This is a long chapter. Sorry if some of the punctuation's been off, it just didn't load right!  
***  
  
The next morning, Jackie woke up, refreshed from a good nights sleep. She looked at her watch. '8:00,' she thought. 'Good. I have two hours before we meet Legolas for sword lessons.'  
  
She slipped into her third dress, a white one, and went outside. She found Alex outside. She raised an eyebrow at him as he greeted her enthusiastically.  
  
"Hi Jackie! Ready for sword fighting?"  
  
She rolled her eyes and groaned. She was not looking forward to being anywhere near Alex wielding a sword, especially after the experience in the room with the painting their second day in Rivendell.  
  
"Where's Jenny and Andrea?" she asked.  
  
"Andrea's in her room sleeping, and I haven't seen Jenny. She's not in her room."  
  
Jackie frowned. Where could she be? It wasn't like her to go anywhere this early in the morning. She shrugged it off.  
  
"We better go and wake Andrea up," she told him.  
  
After waking Andrea up, eating breakfast and helping Alex get dressed again, they walked down to the gardens. It was quarter until ten, but Legolas was there already. A few swords were leaning against the wall next to him.  
  
"Hello," he greeted them. "Where is Lady Jenny?"  
  
Jackie shrugged. "We haven't seen her. But it's still early and I told her about it, so she should be here."  
  
They waited. "Where is she?" Alex grumbled impatiently.  
  
Finally, at five after, she came racing towards them, breathless. She was wearing a dark green dress, and her hair, which was in a bun on the top of her head, was disheveled. Jackie raised an eyebrow at her.  
  
"Hi, guys!" she said. She appeared to be in an unusually good mood. "Sorry I'm late!"  
  
"Yeah, so are we," Alex mumbled. "At least we can start now."  
  
"Where were you?" Jackie asked. "We couldn't find you."  
  
"Oh, I was out running," she said, pulling up her dress a little so as to reveal her Mizunos better.  
  
"In a dress?" asked Andrea incredulously.  
  
"You can run in anything," she said back, smiling. Obviously her good mood was not going to be ruined.  
  
"Can we start yet?" Alex whined.  
  
***  
  
An hour later, the four were breathless from wielding the heavy swords. It was much, much harder work than any of them had thought it would be. However, Legolas was patient and willing to answer any of their questions and help them.  
  
"No, grip it like this," he said, coming over to Jackie and placing his hand around hers, which grasped the sword. She smiled slightly at his strong hands guided her fingers around the sword.  
  
"Oh that's much better," she said, swinging it carefully.  
  
"AAHH!" Andrea suddenly cried, jumping back. Alex had seemed to lost control of his sword, and it had nearly sliced her arm off. "Damnit Alex, watch what you're doing!"  
  
"Whoops," he said.  
  
It was then decided that Alex would practice at a safer distance 15 feet away. He skulked over there, dragging his sword on the floor.  
  
After a little bit more practicing, they all decided to call it a day. Jackie's arms felt sore from wielding the heavy sword, and Andrea was nursing a minor cut on her arm where she had poked it with her sword.  
  
"You did good for the first day," said Legolas. "Much better that I thought you would. Alright, I'll meet you at the same place tomorrow." He stopped and Jackie saw his eyes lock with hers. "Goodbye," he said, and walked away, breaking the contact.  
  
"Well," Andrea said, looking at her. "Is there something you want to tell us?"  
  
"What?" Jackie asked, trying to sound innocent. It wasn't working.  
  
Andrea rolled her eyes. "About Legolas," she said, as if it were the most obvious thing in the entire world.  
  
"There's nothing between me and Legolas," she said, her eyes darting to the ground.  
  
Jenny snorted. "Yeah, nothing. 'No, like this,' 'Oh, that's much better!'" she mimicked. "It's obvious you two have a thing for each other."  
  
Jackie's mouth fell open. Had it been that obvious? "I.I." she started.  
  
"HAH! So it is true!" Andrea shouted triumphantly. "You do like him!"  
  
Jackie shot her a look. "Yeah, I like him, okay? He's amazing, sweet, gorgeous-"  
  
"We get the point," Jenny cut in.  
  
"But I know it's useless. I mean he's an elf, I'm a human. He'd never like me.It would be crazy to think so. Plus he's from a different time and place. It just wouldn't work," she ended sadly.  
  
"That's not true," Jenny said quietly. "If you really love him, then it doesn't matter."  
  
Jackie sighed. "Well it doesn't mean he likes me, anyways."  
  
"Are you kidding me?" Andrea choked. "He's crazy about you. How could you not know that?"  
  
Jackie looked at her apprehensively. "Are you sure?" she asked.  
  
"YES!" Andi and Jenny said in unison.  
  
Jackie grinned. "Well, I guess we'll see what happens," she said.  
  
***  
  
On the way back to the main part of the House, Alex pulled Jackie back to walk with him.  
  
"Is it true that you like him?" he asked. Jackie had forgotten all about Alex's "crush" on her.  
  
She looked at him sympathetically. "Yes, yes I do. I'm sorry, Alex."  
  
He stared straight ahead. She had never seen him this serious before. "It's okay. I guess I always knew it anyways. Knew it wouldn't work out between you and me."  
  
Jackie didn't know what to say to this, so she kept silent.  
  
"I'm okay with it if it's going to make you happy," he said after a short time.  
  
She smiled at this. If you looked past the goofy exterior, he was really sweet. "Thank you," she said.  
  
"Don't mention it," he mumbled tonelessly.  
  
"Oh Alex, you're still the coolest guy I know!" she exclaimed, throwing her arms around him. He seemed surprised, but happy. Jenny and Andrea turned around.  
  
"Aww." Jenny said.  
  
They hugged for a minute, and then broke apart, laughing. 'At least he's not mad,' Jackie thought.  
  
"Can we get going?" asked Andrea, folding her arms.  
  
'What's eating her?' thought Jackie.  
  
***  
  
The next couple weeks were a blur of preparation with Legolas. He was intent on teaching them how to defend themselves properly. The training was grueling, but Jackie was happy that she was able to spend so much time with him. They talked often too, not only at sword training. They more often than not sat together at meals, and he even came to visit her in her room once. Usually they walked down by the river, talking about their homes and other topics that came up. But nothing ever happened. 'I wonder if I'm just imagining it,' she found herself thinking. She noticed that Alex had recovered quickly from their talk the day they began sword fighting. Jackie knew he had liked her for some time, but she always brushed it off. She just now realized how deep his feelings had been. Despite everything, they were now becoming better friends.  
  
One day, about 3 weeks later, she was sent for by Elrond. As she walked into Elrond's study, she noticed her friends were already there.  
  
"The key has been successfully forged," he told them. They all grinned. This was good news.  
  
"The companions who will accompany Frodo on his journey, and you on yours, have been selected," he said. "They are Aragorn of Arathorn, Boromir of Gondor, Gimli son of Gloin, and Legolas Greenleaf." He paused. "I believe you know Legolas," he said, looking at Jackie. She blushed and nodded. "Gandalf the Gray will also be going, of course," he continued. "Peregrin Took, Meridoc Brandybuck, and Samwise Gamgee, Mr. Baggins's hobbit friends, will also accompany him."  
  
"When do you think we're going to leave?" Jenny asked.  
  
"As soon as adequate preparations can be made. Probably in a month or so. It gives me great comfort that Legolas has been teaching you how to use a sword. I do think you will find it quite useful," he said.  
  
Jackie nodded. She was afraid it would  
  
***  
  
They were walking to the dining hall from Elrond's study when Jackie suddenly noticed that Jenny wasn't with them.  
  
"Hey, where'd Jenny go?" she asked Andrea.  
  
Andi shrugged. "Haven't seen her since we left Elrond," she said.  
  
Jackie pondered this. 'Where could she have gone to? And why didn't she tell us?' she thought. As she thought more about it though, she hadn't seen much of Jenny lately. She often left before Jackie woke up in the morning, and could rarely be found after dinner. Jackie made a mental note to ask her about it.  
  
At the dinner hall, she found Legolas and quickly sat next to him. If nothing else, they had become close friends. There was nothing wrong with that, Jackie enjoyed his company, but she wished that it could be something more.  
  
Twenty minutes after dinner started, Jenny came waltzing into the dining hall. She took a seat across from Jackie, and without a word about where she had been, promptly took a piece of bread and began to butter it.  
  
Jackie waited expectantly for a moment, before saying "Well?"  
  
Jenny glanced at her. "Well, what?" she asked.  
  
"Well where were you?" Jackie asked exasperatedly.  
  
"Oh I um.forgot something in the room," she said quickly.  
  
"Oh yeah, and what was that?" Jackie asked.  
  
Jenny paused, frowning at her. "Ce n'est pas tes oignons!" she said.  
  
"Okay Jen, no reason to go speaking French on me. It's just that you've been going off a lot lately and not telling anyone where, and I was just wondering."  
  
"Aren't you-" Legolas started before Jenny gave him a fierce look. He immediately stopped.  
  
"What? What are you two talking about?" Jackie asked wildly. She hated being left out. But both of them were silent, and refused to talk. She peered at them suspiciously. Something was up, and she was going to find out what it was.  
  
***  
  
Late that night, just before midnight, Jackie creaked open her door. Seeing that no one was outside, she crept quietly over to Jenny's room. She was determined to find out what was going on. She opened Jenny's door a crack and peeked inside. Sure enough, she wasn't there. She shut it and then tiptoed quietly down the stairs, heading to the main part of the House.  
  
Everyone was asleep. Jackie heard nothing but silence, except for the gentle trickle of the river below. The moon shone bright, as it almost always did in Rivendell. Light poured from it, illuminating everything so that she could see very clearly where she was going.  
  
She didn't know where to begin. She had no idea what Jenny was doing, and no idea where she would be. She first wandered through the halls near the guest part of the House. She had never realized before how many rooms there were. It was enough to be a hotel. 'A very, very nice hotel,' she thought.  
  
Finding nothing there, she walked to the main part of the House, where the dining hall and Hall of Fire were. She stopped briefly in the Hall of Fire, gazing at the orange and red blaze that danced in it. Nothing.  
  
She walked down to gardens where Legolas taught her and her friends how to swordfight. She saw the place where Alex had fell into the garden during one particularly difficult maneuver earlier that day. The flowers were still flattened in that spot. She laughed silently to herself, and kept walking. Then she saw them.  
  
Two figures walking down by the river. She descended quietly as she could down the stairway that led to the grass by the river. She hid behind a tree. She could hardly believe what she saw.  
  
It was Jenny, walking hand in hand with Frodo Baggins, the hobbit who carried the Ring.  
  
Jackie gaped as she tried to comprehend the sight. First of all, he was a hobbit, and he was nearly two feet shorter than Jenny. Seeing them walk together was a pretty funny sight. It looked like a small child walking with an adult. Second of all, how could she befriend, or fall in love with (if she was in love with him), someone connected so closely to the ring, which was so dangerous? Jenny knew very well how bad one of them could mess things up if they messed with anything. The whole fate of Middle Earth was on the line. What if she was tempted by the ring? Thirdly, she felt a little miffed that Jenny hadn't told her about it. This had apparently been going on for a few weeks. 'Then again, on the other hand, I didn't tell them about Legolas until they guessed it. But still, nothing was going on between me and him, and something is obviously going on between them,' she thought, as Jenny stooped down to give Frodo a kiss on the forehead. She silently laughed to herself, and then climbed back up the stairway.  
  
She walked quickly in the direction of her room. She blessed her luck that Jenny and Frodo hadn't seen her. She glanced behind her. Big mistake. She ran into something. A person.  
  
'Uh-oh,' she thought.  
  
She looked up and swore out loud. It was Legolas. How did he know where she was? She stepped back and looked meekly up into his face, trying to read it.  
  
"You know," he said coolly, "You really shouldn't be meddling in other people's business. You're bound to get caught."  
  
She gulped. She didn't know what to say. She was guilty as charged.  
  
"But, now that you do know about Master Frodo and Lady Jenny, I am going to have to ask you to keep quiet about it for now."  
  
A thought came to her. "Hey, how do you know about this? You're supposed to be in bed too now, you know!"  
  
He looked at her for a minute, amused. She thought now that that was probably not an accurate accusation, and felt like hitting herself.  
  
He looked away from her. "I," he said, "happened to be walking in the gardens the other day-in the broad daylight-" he added, "when I came upon them talking behind a tree. I figured it out, but did not say anything to either of them. When Lady Jenny tried to hide it from you at dinner tonight, I figured they wanted it to be a secret. But," he said, grinning slyly, "I figured you would come out tonight and try to find out anyways."  
  
Jackie gasped. She felt slightly bewildered and also indignant. "So you followed me?" she asked incredulously.  
  
"Yes, I did," he said slowly. "I felt you might need a little explaining to."  
  
"Explaining to?" she asked, piqued. "I think I can figure out what's going on by myself, thank you very much."  
  
"I talked to Elrond after dinner today, and questioned him about it. He said that he had known about it for some time, although they attempted to keep it unknown. He told me that there's no harm in it, at least for now. And please, do not let either of them know that you know what is going on. They will tell you, and everyone else, when they are ready."  
  
Jackie stood there thinking for a moment. "Okay," she agreed, "I won't tell anyone. Even though you should have told me anyways," she muttered. She saw Legolas smile, and then slowly start to walk towards her.  
  
'Oh God, what's he doing?' she thought.  
  
He came over to her and encircled her waist in his arms. She looked up at him, surprised. He was staring down into her eyes.  
  
'Oh God, oh God, oh God,' she thought frantically. 'Is this really happening?'  
  
She gazed into his eyes, which were calming and questioning at the same time. They were so beautiful. She remembered the first time she had seen them, when she had first came to Rivendell. They were stunning and lovely. And now that she knew the wonderful person behind them, they captured her even more.  
  
They stayed like this for a moment, staring into each other's faces.  
  
Then, he kissed her.  
  
The kiss swept through her like a jolt of electricity. For a moment she was shocked, then she tentatively placed her arms around her waist. After a moment they pulled apart.  
  
"Whoa," she breathed. Legolas looked at her, smiling softly. That was better than she could have ever imagined.  
  
"I'd really like to-" she started but she was cut off as he once again pressed his lips to hers. She smiled, and felt him smile against her.  
  
'Finally,' she thought. 'I guess Jenny isn't the only one getting any action around here.'  
  
*** 


	8. Snowball fight

A/N: Sorry this took so long to get up, school's been keeping me busy! It's kind of a stupid, pointless chapter.but oh well! I needed a filler chapter. I guess it's kind of long, too. Enjoy! And please review!!!!!!! Thanks!!!  
  
***  
  
Jackie crept back to her room quietly later that night. She lay on her bed, thinking about what had happened. She could hardly believe it. Here she was, in a whole other world, with strange creatures, and she had fallen in love with one of them. And even more unbelievable, he had fallen in love with her apparently, too. The whole thing was so far-fetched, like something in a fairy tale. She turned over, 'And yet, it feels so right,' she thought. 'As weird as it is, it feels like this is what was meant to happen.'  
  
She smiled as she remembered their kiss. It had been magical. 'He's a good kisser,' she thought. 'I wonder if he's had a lot of experience over the past 2,931 years...' She giggled softly as she thought about it. But then again, it was something to wonder about. She opened her eyes and followed the stone vines on the ceiling with her eyes.  
  
After a while she heard Jenny quietly open her own door and shut it. Jackie thought for a moment about her and Frodo. 'It explains a lot,' she thought. 'Like when I told she figured out about Legolas and said that it could work, even though we were from different worlds. I'm glad she finally found someone.' She smiled. 'Just like me.' She sleepily traced the vines on the ceiling until she finally drifted off.  
  
***  
  
Jackie awoke drowsily the next morning, shivering. Her glassless window failed to keep out the draft, and it had become cold during the night. She snapped up as she remembered last night's events. She jumped out of bed, eager to see him again. She saw she had overslept a little; it was 9:00 already. She went to her wardrobe and was shocked to find more clothes there. She recognized them as heavier dresses, and gladly slipped into one. She also found a cloak, and wrapping it around her stepped outside. She found the view a stark contrast from last night. The sky was gray and clouded, and frost coated the ground, causing it to sparkle. The leaves were frozen and swayed heavily in the piercing breeze. She shivered and hurried quickly over to Jenny's room.  
  
"Jen?" she called, tapping softly on the door.  
  
"Yeah," came the answer from inside. Jenny came to the door dressed in a dress like Jackie's. "A little bit chilly this morning, huh?" she asked good-naturedly.  
  
"Yep," said Jackie. She couldn't help but smile remembering what she'd seen last night. She quickly suppressed a giggle. Obviously Jenny had no idea that she'd figured out her secret, or anyone else had. "Ready to wake Alex and Andrea up?"  
  
"Sure," Jenny grinned. This was always a good sport, because Alex and Andrea shared the same love of sleep. Getting them to wake up in the morning was always a big undertaking. "Let's go for Alex first."  
  
They swung open his door. He lay there innocently, with one arm swung over his face, snoring slightly.  
  
Jackie tickled his foot and he stirred, grunting something that sounded like "The cows are here." Her and Jenny both laughed then pounced on him.  
  
"Ahhhhh!" he yelled, sitting up. "What was that for?"  
  
But they couldn't answer him because they were laughing too hard. He sat on his bed, fuming at them.  
  
"It's almost time to go meet Legolas," Jackie said. "Plus, now you can help us wake Andi up."  
  
He grinned at this. He had wanted to get someone back ever since they had dumped that bowl of cold water on him one of their first days here. Andrea was his best bet.  
  
"I'll get the water," he said.  
  
***  
  
They all made the chilly journey down to the gardens, Jackie in the front. Andrea brought up the rear, grumpily refusing to forgive them for what they did to her.  
  
"Come on Andi, it wasn't that bad," Alex said, trying to console her. Since he had gotten his revenge, he was very content.  
  
"Yes, it was," she responded irritably. "It's cold enough without having ice water dumped on your face."  
  
"It wasn't ice water! It was lukewarm!" Alex informed her.  
  
"Yeah, whatever." She had made up her mind and wasn't going to be swayed.  
  
They reached the gardens to find Legolas waiting for them, but the swords weren't there. He grinned broadly when he saw Jackie, who returned it.  
  
"Hi," he said gazing at her, before coming over and giving her a peck on the cheek. Obviously THEY weren't going to keep their relationship a secret, which couldn't have been better with Jackie.  
  
She relished the astounded look that her friends had on their faces.  
  
"Is that..were you..OH MY GOD!" Andi screeched as she looked back and forth from Jackie to Legolas. Jackie smiled and nodded at her. Alex just had a look of confusion on her face, and kept opening and shutting his mouth like a goldfish. Jenny only looked mildly surprised.  
  
"Well finally," she said, grinning. "It was bound to happen."  
  
"I thought we'd practice today in the Hall of Fire...it will be warmer," Legolas said.  
  
The four gratefully nodded and walked up to the Hall of Fire. Jackie walked next to Legolas, holding his hand. Andrea and Alex walked behind them, arguing about something. Jenny hung back, apparently looking for something. Jackie knew what that thing was, and giggled to herself.  
  
When they reached the Hall of Fire, warmth spread to Jackie from the top of her head to the tips of her toes. The fire was lively and roaring. She noticed their usual swords propped against the opposite wall. She looked at Legolas and realized that he hadn't been shivering at all, and he wasn't wearing a cloak.  
  
"Aren't you cold?" she asked him. 'If he says yes,' she thought, 'I wouldn't mind warming him up..'  
  
"No," he answered, disappointing Jackie. "Elves are not so greatly susceptible to the elements as humans are."  
  
"Well that would explain the glassless windows," Jenny said.  
  
A tiring hour later, they all lean against the walls, breathing heavily. Even Legolas looked a little tired today. They decided it to call it a day, and Jackie, Andrea, Alex, and Jenny decided to go back to their rooms to rest up.  
  
As they stepped outside, they were amazed to see that there were two inches of snow on the ground!  
  
"I didn't know it could snow here!" exclaimed Jackie.  
  
"Wehth ohbiously euht duhs," said Alex as he caught a fat snowflake on his tongue.  
  
"Oooh...Let's have a snowball fight!" said Jenny enthusiastically.  
  
"Snowball fight?" said Legolas, raising one eyebrow at her as he came out.  
  
"Yeah you know, where you throw snow at the other people, and.." Alex trailed off.  
  
"Well I kind of figured that," Legolas answered. "But-"  
  
"What, are you afraid?" Jackie teased.  
  
Legolas furrowed his brow. "I am not afraid of your little snow games."  
  
"Oh, I think you are," Jackie said. "The Prince of Mirkwood is afraid to lose in a little snowball fight."  
  
"I'm not afraid!"  
  
"Suureeee.." She smiled.  
  
"I'll prove it to you. I'll take you on."  
  
Jackie smiled. It worked. "Well fine..if you're not too SCARED..."  
  
Narrowing his eyes, he announced, "This is war."  
  
***  
  
They fought on a field down by the frozen river. A couple of the elves joined in, but most hung back watching in mild amusement. It was clear to Jackie and her friends that elves were probably 'above' childish antics like this, but for the four time travelers, it reminisced winters back home. Very soon into it, however, the humans figured out that the elves had a very unfair advantage.  
  
"Hey, you're walking on the snow!" Jackie exclaimed.  
  
"That's not fair!!" Andrea shouted as she was bombarded with snowballs.  
  
"Only taking advantage of the resources we have.." Legolas said as he pranced around on top of the snow. He grinned at Jackie, who in answer flung a snowball at him.  
  
"AAHH!!" Alex yelled suddenly. "Andrea why did you put snow down my back?! We're on the same team you know!"  
  
"I'm just getting you back for this morning!" she said matter-of-factly. "You had it coming to you!"  
  
"Yeah well I'll show you.." Alex muttered as he went after her, packing together a large wad of snow in his hand.  
  
Jackie laughed as she watched them. 'They would make a good couple,' she thought. 'But I think they'd both kill me if I told them that. At least its something they would agree on.'  
  
She was brought back to reality as Legolas dumped a large amount of snow upon her from behind.  
  
"Hey!" she shouted. He just shrugged back at her, and in mock anger she ran after him. This was much harder than it would seem to be. The snow, which now covered her ankles easily, made it hard to move, and Legolas was walking on top of it.  
  
"Aughhhhhh," she groaned, finally giving up and laying down in the snow. He came over to her and crouched down over her face.  
  
"The elves too much for you?" he asked. "Had enough?"  
  
She looked up at him exasperatedly. His hair was slightly askew, the braids just above his ears loose and tangled. His cheeks were flushed a little from the cold.  
  
She grinned. "No," and pulled him down to a kiss.  
  
*** 


	9. The Hobbit and the Girl

A/N: Sorry, this is a short, kind of boring chapter. By the way, I don't really know if it snows in Rivendell.I'm just kind of assuming it does! Anyways, here it is!! And pleaaassee, plleasseee review! Thanks!!  
***  
  
After they were all tired of playing in the snow, they went to the kitchen for some hot tea. The Elvish tea was hot and sweet, and warmed the four humans from the inside out. As they walked back up to their rooms, they were in good spirits, joking and laughing. Then Jenny pulled Jackie aside.  
  
"Can I talk to you when we get back?" she whispered.  
  
"Yeah, sure," Jackie said. She had a feeling she knew what was going to be said. "But I'd like to take a bath first, I'm still cold."  
  
"Okay," Jenny said.  
  
***  
  
About an hour later Jackie knocked hard on Jenny's door.  
  
"Come in," came the reply from inside. She turned the handle and walked in.  
  
She found Jenny lying on the bed, gazing up at the ceiling, but she sat up when she saw her.  
  
"Oh, hi," she said in false casualness.  
  
"Something you wanted to talk to me about?" Jackie asked.  
  
"Oh um yeah," Jenny said. "There was a little.something."  
  
"Yes..." Jackie prompted.  
  
"Well, I saw you and Legolas together today. Are you two..aahh...uhhm." she struggled for the right words. "Together?"  
  
Jackie smiled. "Yeah, you could say that."  
  
"Oh, well I'm very happy for you," Jenny said. "I'm glad you've found someone in this.place."  
  
Jackie sighed. Would she just get on with it?  
  
Jenny took in a deep breath. "I've found someone, too. A while ago," she added.  
  
"Really?" Jackie asked, trying to sound surprised. "Who?"  
  
"Frodo. Frodo Baggins. The hobbit," she added, smiling sheepishly.  
  
"How long? And how did it start?" asked Jackie, pumping her for answers.  
  
"It's been going on for about a month now," said Jenny. "A few days after we got here. It was the day the elves brought him in to Imladris, after he had been stabbed with the Morgul Blade. I was wandering around the House later that day, when I passed a room and saw Elrond leaning over him, muttering things in Elvish. At first I thought it was some sort of magic and I wanted to see, so I crept in and watched. But Elrond saw me. Luckily he didn't make me go away, he just told me to bring him some water and a washcloth, which I did. I then started to come and help Elrond more often, because I was fascinated with Elvish medicine, it's so different from anything back home. Frodo and I became good friends, and we just kind of clicked. I guess it just went from there. And that's why I was kind of distant lately, I'd been helping him while he was sick, and now that he's recovered, we've.well." she gulped. "We haven't told anyone yet. But I just had to tell you, especially after I saw you and Legolas together. I figured you'd understand."  
  
"Of course I understand!" Jackie said, breaking into a smile. "I'm happy for you!"  
  
Jenny looked relieved. "It's just that I've never met anyone like him before at all!" she said. "I feel like he was the reason that I came through the tunnel, and that this was meant to happen."  
  
"I feel the same way with Legolas," Jackie said. "Like it's meant to happen."  
  
"But it is kind of weird," Jenny said doubtfully. "I mean, he's not exactly human, really. He's.a hobbit."  
  
Jackie was sent into a fit of giggles as she remembered seeing them walk together last night.  
  
"What, what???!!" Jenny asked wildly. "Why are you laughing?"  
  
"He's-" giggle "a hobbit!" She snorted. "And half your height!"  
  
Jenny looked indignant. "He's more than half my height! Well anyways, you're dating an ELF."  
  
Jackie stopped. "What's the matter with an elf?"  
  
Jenny rolled her eyes. "Oh please. They just have that.'Better than thou' air about them."  
  
Now it was Jackie's turn to be defensive. "Legolas does not act snotty!"  
  
Jenny laughed. "Oh yes he does."  
  
"No he does not!" she threw a pillow at Jenny, who caught it and threw it back. They were both laughing now.  
  
After a few minutes, Jenny stopped smiling abruptly. "Jackie, do you really want to go home?" she asked.  
  
Jackie caught her breath. She hadn't really thought about going home, which would mean seeing her family and many of her friends again. But it would also mean leaving Rivendell, and leaving Legolas.  
  
"I don't know," she responded doubtfully. "I don't know."  
  
***  
  
Jackie sat with Legolas later that evening after dinner, under the stars. The crescent moon hung white over the world, bathing the snow in silver blue. Jackie sighed. She would never get tired of the sight of Rivendell at night, with the beauty of the moon upon it. And she would never forget it when she left.  
  
She sighed and looked up into his face. It was beautiful and perfect. It looked ahead strong and set, but it softened as he looked at her. She lightly kissed one of his pointed ears, then laid her head on his chest and began to play absentmindedly with one of his blond locks. She shivered from the cold. He pulled her closer, wrapping her more tightly in his arms. She felt safe and warm. She couldn't imagine a more perfect moment than this.  
  
"I love you," he said softly.  
  
"I love you, too," she murmured in reply. 'And,' she thought. 'I mean that with all my heart.'  
  
Now she knew the answer to Jenny's question: No.  
  
She watched as Elrond came out onto a balcony and gazed over the river. She was surprised. She didn't think anyone was up at this hour besides her and Legolas. The Lord of Imladris looked pensive and.sad? It occurred to her that she had never seen the Lady of Rivendell, but yet she knew Elrond had children.  
  
"Where is the Lady of Imladris?" she asked Legolas. "Was Elrond ever married?"  
  
Legolas got a faraway look in his eyes. "Yes," he said.  
  
"What happened?"  
  
Legolas sighed. "The story of Lord Elrond and Lady Celebrian is not a happy one," he said. "They were married long ago, and had three children. But one day she was captured and tortured by orcs-" he spat the last word "-on her way to Lothlorien. Elrond managed to heal most of her physical wounds, but he could not heal the emotional ones. She lost the will to live in Middle Earth, and sailed over to the Gray Havens. That was over 1,000 years ago."  
  
"So she didn't die?"  
  
"No," Legolas said. "But he cannot see her until he too departs Middle Earth for the Gray Havens."  
  
"That must be terrible, being separated from the one you love, not being able to see them," Jackie mused sadly. 'And that is where my fate appears to be heading,' she thought glumly. 'Being separated from the one I love.'  
  
She kissed Legolas defensively and hugged him, vowing to cherish the moments that they did have together.  
  
*** 


	10. The second key

This is such a short chapter. I'm sorry!!!!! I've been having some serious writer's block, so it's not very good. Sorry again!! And please, please, ppplleeaasseee review! Thank you! :o)  
  
***  
  
The next couple of weeks were blithe and cheery, despite the invisible rain cloud that hung over the four time travelers and their friends. They all knew that soon the inevitable would claim them, and relished with zeal their remaining time in Rivendell. Jackie spent nearly every waking moment with Legolas. He had stopped teaching them how to swordfight, deeming them able to use a sword. They all felt much safer going on this journey being able to defend themselves. Jackie felt now that the emotional danger far outweighed the physical danger, at least for her and possibly Jenny, who was growing closer and closer to Frodo every day. They had finally become 'public' with their relationship, and could now be seen in what seemed like every corner of Imladris, giggling and holding hands. It was amusing to watch.  
  
One day when Jackie was walking with Legolas through one of the many corridors, they were stopped by an elf-servant. Jackie wasn't exactly sure if they were servants, but they seemed to do much of the work around Rivendell.  
  
"Lord Elrond wishes to see you in his study," he said to Legolas. He turned to Jackie. "And you as well."  
  
They both shrugged and followed him to their destination. When they arrived, they found two men, a dwarf, a wizard, and Elrond waiting for them. Some different sized packs were lying on the floor. Jackie and Legolas greeted everyone and then waited silently, hand in hand, next to a pillar.  
  
Jenny and Frodo walked in next, Sam and Merry in tow. They murmured their hellos before retreating to a wall. The following silence hung awkwardly in the air, making everyone a little bit uneasy.  
  
Finally, Alex and Andrea burst in, laughing hilariously about something. Pippin was with them, and he too was overcome with a fit of laughter. Jackie saw Gandalf raise an eyebrow at them. They abruptly turned their laughs into loud coughs and quieted down.  
  
Elrond spoke. "I have called you here today, the Fellowship of the Ring," he paused and looked at Jackie and her friends. "And the four travelers. You will all soon be setting out on your journey. Sooner than you expect, I would guess, and sooner than you or I would like. You shall leave in ten days, provided nothing happens to prevent you from leaving."  
  
Jackie gulped and heard Jenny give a faint cry. 'Ten days?' she thought. 'We can't be leaving; we just can't be leaving yet! Not when everything is finally working out!' The members of the Fellowship looked quite taken aback also at this news. She felt Legolas' hand give her a strong, comforting squeeze, and squeezed it tightly in return.  
  
"Do you think perhaps that this is a bit early?" the blond man asked.  
  
"No, Boromir son of Denthor," Gandalf answered. "We must leave as soon as adequate preparations can be made. Our quest grows more perilous every day that we linger in Imladris. We cannot stay here any longer, lest we put both Rivendell and everyone that lives here in danger."  
  
"Gandalf is right," Aragorn said. "We must leave as soon as possible."  
  
There was silence, which was broken by Elrond. "The second key has been forged," he said, turning to the four friends. "It should be nearly identical to the one that brought you here."  
  
He reached into a pocket of his long robes and pulled out a silver key, the identical brother of the one that they had found in their own world. Jackie took it from him and her and her friends looked at it. It was tiny and silver, nearly the exact replica of the one they had found in their world. They now recognized the inscription as Elvish, but still they could not read it.  
  
"What does it say?" Jackie asked.  
  
"It says," Elrond said, "Alreuthin, key to the events that have yet to take place. However, this is not the true Alreuthin, only a mere copy. Alreuthin is thought to be lost many a year ago, though no one can say for certain. The key you found, Alreuthum, brother to Alreuthin, is the key to unlock the past." He held out his hand. "I will keep it until you depart on your journey. An object such as this holds great power."  
  
Jackie dropped the key on his open palm.  
  
"Now then," he said, depositing the key once again into his pocket. "I have some things for each of you that I believe you will find quite useful on the journey." He gestured to the packs that lay on the floor. "Packs of food will also be sent with you. I encourage each of you to travel as lightly as possible, taking only what is necessary." He then preceded to hand each person a package.  
  
***  
  
When Jackie got to her room, she opened her first package. She had received two, and her friends had also. The first was no surprise; it had been long and slender. But she was still awed as she unwrapped the cloth. A sword lay there, a sword with a silver and gold handle in a gray sheath. As she took it out, she noticed it was sharp and silver, strong yet light and easy. She tried a few simple maneuvers; it swung easier and more gracefully than the swords she had practiced on. She placed it back in its sheath and turned to the larger, square package.  
  
It resembled a book bag. If she had been back home, she would have thought it to be a book bag, just a very old looking, dull-colored one. She unfastened it and reached in to pull out some of the contents. The first thing she pulled out was a tunic. It was light and thin. Sure enough, the next thing she pulled out was a pair of pants, not unlike the ones that many of the younger elf men wore. Also in the pack were a heavier tunic, a more practical pair of shoes than the ones she wore now, and something that resembled a skirt. Judging by what the younger elf men wore, Jackie guessed that this was to go on top of the leggings.  
  
'I'm going to look like Xena: Warrior Princess,' she thought. 'Elf-style.'  
  
The last thing she pulled out was a small dagger. She carefully placed everything back in the knapsack the way she had found it, and then sighed.  
  
'I wish I could stay here forever.'  
  
*** 


End file.
